Ragged, makeshift classrooms are now lined with rows of old Dell monitors and computers. They’re teaching very basic skills to recent high school graduates, and there are even some students who are a little more seasoned.

Rotich wants to teach more than just how to type or search the web. His vision is to enable his neighbors to put their own ideas into action.

“Finding solutions to local problems, that's where my forecast is," he said. "We have local challenges. How can we find solutions to those?”

Rotich said it’s about taking the American dream beyond the border.

“I can tell you majority of young people especially in Africa would like to come to the United States, and many of them don't get that opportunity to come here. Since most of them can't come here, I want to bring a small America to them," he said.